


Lullabies

by emilyevanston



Series: Avengers as Parents drabbles [7]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Anxiety, F/M, Fluff, Tony Stark Has A Heart
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-25
Updated: 2017-10-25
Packaged: 2019-01-22 20:02:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,260
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12489728
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/emilyevanston/pseuds/emilyevanston
Summary: Tony can’t quite trust that when his son sleeps, that it's actually sleeping.





	Lullabies

Tony peers over the crib, patting his infant son on the tummy as you sing.  Tony loves listening to you sing the early 80s and 90s rock songs you’ve adapted to be Edwin’s lullabies.  Even when you’re sleep deprived and you can’t quite carry a tune.  He loves the fact that rather than learn actual lullabies you’ve changed songs that he has played when he works in the lab.  He loves the way your voice sounds when it cracks because you’d overestimate hitting the high note.  He loves that it never fails to send Edwin to sleep.  He loves how he can see how much you love Edwin in those moments even when you are frustrated and exhausted.

He would never say it in those words of course.  The way Tony says I love you is to call you a dork even though his eyes crinkle at the corners because he’s smiling so much.

The one person he can say the L-word to is the tiny boy whose brown eyes were growing heavier by the minute as you sing Nirvana’s ‘Come as you are’ like a slow ballad.

“Come doused in mud, soaked in bleach, as I want you to be.”  You sing, leaning against Tony and hoping Edwin would hurry up and close his eyes.  “As a trend, as a friend as an old memoria.  Memoria.”

Edwin wriggles in his wrap as his eyes close.  His tiny body stills except for the even rise and fall of his chest as you’re singing about not having a gun.  Tony leans over the edge of the crib and kisses the infant on the forehead.  “Night, small fry.  Love you.  Have sweet dreams.”  He whispers before taking his hand away and raising the side of the crib up.

“He looks so peaceful when he sleeps.”  You say quietly, gazing down at the baby before taking Tony’s hand and leading him out of the room.

“Lucky for some.”  Tony replies, closing the bedroom door.

You lean against Tony for a moment and stifle a yawn.  “I need to sleep.  You wanna join me?”  You ask.

“Sleep?  What’s that?”  He asks and presses a kiss to your forehead.  “I’ll go get some work done.  You sleep.”

You put your hands on Tony’s cheeks and make him look you in the eye.  “Do not wake the baby!”

“I wasn't…”

“Nope!”  You say, cutting him off.  “I mean it, Tony.  He might look like he’s not breathing but he is.  He’s just asleep.  If you get worried have FRIDAY scan for a pulse.  Do.  Not.  Wake him.”

“Yes, ma’am.”  Tony says, saluting you.

“I mean it, Tony.”  You scold.

He cups your jaw and presses his lips to your forehead.  “I promise.  I won’t wake him.”  He assures you.  “Now go sleep.”

“Alright.  I will.”  You say, backing away from him, your eyes still narrowed.  “I love you.”

“Yeah, yeah.  Tell me something I don’t know.”  Tony says and turns heading towards the stairs.

He heads down to his lab.  It’s not as big as the one on the other side of the compound where he works on his Iron Suits and other bigger projects.  This is just his personal space for tinkering.  To start fleshing out new ideas and to work on his little personal projects.  It helps calm his mind and the smaller lab is much closer to where you and Edwin are.

As he enters the lab all the lights come on and an image of Edwin sleeping in his crib is projected on the wall.  He looks up at his son for a moment, watching the very faint rise and fall of his chest and then turns to his workbench.  “Alright, Dum-E.  What have we got here?”  He says to the droid that’s hovering around the few projects Tony has been tinkering with.  ‘War Machine’ by AC/DC fills the room and he goes to work.

When the track switches to ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ by Nirvana he looks back up at the screen.  Edwin hasn’t moved from the last time he looked, so Tony approaches the screen again, trying to discern that he’s definitely still sleeping.

“FRIDAY, life signs on Edwin?”  He says, panic starting to rise in his chest.

“Edwin is breathing regularly and has a normal resting heart rate of 110 beats per minute, sir.”  FRIDAY replies.

He narrows his eyes looking at the screening trying to see if there was any movement.  “You’re sure?”

“Yes, sir.  He is perfectly fine.”

Tony furrows his brow and returns to the workbench.

When the song changes to ‘Search and Destroy’ but the Red Hot Chili Peppers Tony looks up again.  Edwin still hasn’t moved.  Dread starts to fill him.  “FRIDAY?”

“He’s fine.”  The AI replies.

There is a tightening in Tony’s chest and he starts heading up the stairs.

“Mr Stark, please.  Edwin Stark is displaying all regularly healthy life signs.  Ms Stark said…”  FRIDAY implores as Tony rushes in the direction of Edwin’s room.

Tony stops dead and braces his hands on his legs breathing slowly in and out.  In and out.  “I’ll just check him.”  He says, quietly.

“I assure you, Mr Stark, Master Edwin is perfectly fine.”

For a moment Tony hesitates.  He takes a step backward and starts to turn, before continuing his path to the bedroom.  “I’ll just check.”

If the building’s AI could sigh in frustration that is what she’d be doing now.  Tony slowly opens the door and creeps into the room peering into the crib.  Edwin is still, lips parted, seemingly not moving at all.  The panic starts to return.  Tony can feel his own heart racing.  He puts his hand on the infant’s chest.  Edwin doesn’t stir.  Not only that but even just holding his hand in place, Tony can’t feel Edwin’s heart beating or the rise and fall of his chest as he breathes.

Tony’s chest tightens and he gently nudges Edwin.  Nothing happens and Tony falls into a full-blown panic attack.  All he hears is the rush of blood in his ears and he can’t catch his breath.  “Eddie.”  He says, shaking the boy.  “Wake up, slugger.”

Edwin’s eyes snap open and for one second he looks up at his father and Tony relaxes completely.  Then Edwin’s bottom lip starts to quiver.

“Oh…no. No, no, no.”  Tony says, patting the baby’s stomach.

Edwin’s face screws up and turns red and he starts screaming.  Tony snatches him into his arms and starts rocking him back and forth.  “Shh…”  He soothes.  Daddy’s got you.  Come on now, buddy.  Don’t get me in trouble.”

Nothing can quiet the child though. He squalls.  Crying so much that he can barely form tears.  Tony sighs and carries him down to the bedroom.  He hesitantly opens the door and pokes his head insides, finding you sitting up and rolling your eyes.

“He didn’t look like he was breathing.”  Tony says, holding Edwin out to you.

“Of course.”  You say, taking Edwin and rocking him in your arms.  You pat your leg and Tony lies down putting his head in your lap.  You run your fingers across his scalp and start to sing slowly and melodically.  “Say your prayers little one.  Don’t forget my son, to include everyone.  Tuck you in, warm within, keep you free from sin, ‘Till the sandman he comes.  Sleep with one eye open, gripping your pillow tight.”

Tony smiles as you sing ‘Enter Sandman’.  His eyes fall closed as Edwin’s do and as sleep takes Edwin, it comes for Tony too.


End file.
